Chapter 157: Big Brother, Save the Teachers
"Turn and go down."
"The road ahead is a slope."
Meng Ci, not wanting to cause more trouble when the man spoke, promptly closed his eyes and let Shen Que pull him along.
"Can you open your eyes now?" Meng Ci was speechless; they had been walking for so long, still holding on like this, and so close, wasn't it hot?
But Shen Que quite enjoyed being close to Meng Ci. If he hadn't already felt Meng Ci sweating and showing signs of anger, he wouldn't have let go so easily.
"It's fine now," Shen Que said softly.
Hearing this, Meng Ci opened his eyes and jumped far away from Shen Que, silently protesting.
Sticking, sticking, what kind of sticking, it's so hot.
Meng Ci's heart and face were full of disdain. If the situation allowed, he would have wanted to pin Shen Que to the ground and beat him up.
On the second floor of the basement, there were fewer people sleeping here.
The main reason was that it was poorly ventilated and very stuffy.
The two of them continued to walk inside with their flashlights.
There weren't many vehicles parked in the basement.
The heavy rain started at six o'clock. Even if someone had parked their car here at that time, they probably would have driven away forcefully.
They continued walking until they reached the back, where two rows of cars were neatly parked.
After observing the surroundings and confirming there were no suspicious people around, Shen Que asked Meng Ci to bring out the car they had chosen earlier.
In a second, a SUV quietly parked in the spot.
Earlier, while in the space, Meng Ci and Shen Que had made some scratches on the SUV with a knife and replaced some parts with old ones.
During the day, both of them had slept enough, and the current heat made them unable to sleep.
Meng Ci took out a basin from the space, filled it with soil and water, mixed it well, and smeared it all over the inside and outside of the car.
He also used a small brush to carefully apply it to the tires.
By the time everything was done, it was already past three in the morning.
The temperature had dropped to about twenty degrees, and the two of them sat on the ground, leaning against each other, and gradually fell asleep.
"Ugh, it's so hot!"
In his sleep, Meng Ci felt as if he was hugging a furnace, which he couldn't get rid of.
When he woke up and saw Shen Que leaning against him, Meng Ci got up immediately.
Seeing Shen Que fall to the ground, Meng Ci felt a sense of satisfaction, letting you hug me.
"Immature."
Shen Que brushed off the dust from his body, but he was already sweating, and the dirt wouldn't come off.
Now, Meng Ci was even less willing to let Shen Que get close to him.
There were still a few people moving around in the basement.
Meng Ci looked from afar and saw they were having breakfast, mostly a steamed bun and a cup of water.
"Shen Que, check if any of these cars can be repaired."
"Okay."
Meng Ci and Shen Que began to inspect several rows of cars, tapping and checking. In the end, they chose the SUV that Meng Ci had brought from the space.
A few people who were resting in the basement were still there. Shen Que had some skills in repairing cars, so he disassembled and reassembled some parts, looking quite professional.
After half an hour, Shen Que wiped the sweat from his face and stood up.
"It's done."
"Pour in some oil and test it."
Meng Ci took a pot from the wall and pretended to add some oil to the car.
Then he got into the car, and Shen Que quickly started the engine, driving it around the basement.
People leaning against the walls, fanning themselves, saw the car really working and were envious.
But soon, they thought about how expensive fuel was and decided to continue with their own tasks, preferring to exchange their points for food rather than fuel.
Shen Que drove the SUV out of the underground parking lot and then all the way to the river, where he first cleaned the car before heading west into the wilderness.
Halfway through, Meng Ci suddenly saw a thin, emaciated man running towards the west.
Suddenly, the man stumbled and fell to the ground.
But he quickly struggled to his feet and continued running.
Meng Ci just watched, not wanting to get involved.
After all, in this post-apocalyptic world, there were many pitiful people, and he couldn't help them all.
The off-road vehicle quickly approached the man, and his weak voice reached Meng Ci's ears.
"Help, help me!"
Upon hearing the sound of the car, the man assumed it was from the authorities and rushed towards the off-road vehicle without hesitation, shouting for help.
Shen Que, with his excellent driving skills, promptly turned the steering wheel to avoid hitting the man, then floored the accelerator, and the car sped past him.
"Shen Que, stop the car."
Meng Ci casually glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed that the running man looked familiar, so he quickly asked Shen Que to stop.
Hearing this, Shen Que stepped on the brakes and stopped the car immediately.
"What's wrong?" Shen Que asked, puzzled.
Meng Ci, while opening the car door, said, "I think that person looks a lot like Ruan Qing."
Ruan Qing?
Shen Que remembered that he was the boy who lived on the 17th floor with Yun Jingcen and others, someone well-protected by several teachers. How could he end up in such a state?
It must be some kind of scam, Shen Que thought, and hurriedly got out of the car, following Meng Ci to check the situation.
The man, who appeared to be Ruan Qing, had been running too fast and tripped over a stone, scraping his chin and palms.
But the man did not hesitate or cry out in pain; he continued to struggle to his feet.
"Are you okay?"
Suddenly, the man felt someone helping him up.
He looked up and, upon recognizing the face, tears streamed down his cheeks.
"Brother, brother!"
Meng Ci carefully identified the man and confirmed it was indeed Ruan Qing.
But the once well-nourished child, pampered by Yun Jingcen and others, was now dark and emaciated, nothing but skin and bones.
What happened? Did Teacher Yun and the others abandon Ruan Qing, or did something happen to them?
"Ruan Qing?"
Meng Ci helped him up and examined him closely.
"How did you end up like this? Where are the teachers?"
After saying this, Meng Ci supported Ruan Qing towards the car.
"Come on, let's get in the car. I'll help you treat your wounds."
Shen Que also came over and, seeing that Meng Ci was struggling to support Ruan Qing, helped hold him up from the other side.
"No, we can't treat the wounds yet."
"Brother, please, save the teachers."
Ruan Qing, speaking, broke free from Meng Ci and Shen Que's support and fell to his knees, banging his head on the ground repeatedly.
"Teacher?" Meng Ci quickly pulled Ruan Qing up.
"What happened to the teachers?" Meng Ci asked, frowning.
Ruan Qing, crying bitterly, sobbed, "Wah, wah, the teachers, they're in trouble."
Given the teachers' considerable skills and Ruan Qing's condition, Meng Ci helped him into the car.
"Where are the teachers?"
Once in the car, Meng Ci urgently asked.
Ruan Qing wiped his tears haphazardly and quickly gave directions.